Enough fentanyl to ‘kill global population — nearly twice over’ seized in California last year
California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a Clean California event in San Francisco, Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
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California seized a record amount of fentanyl in 2023, enough to potentially kill the global population “nearly twice over,” Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday.
Last year, 62,224 pounds of fentanyl was seized in California and at the state’s ports of entry. Since 2021, seizures by the California National Guard increased by 1,066 percent.
“Fentanyl is a poison, and it does not belong in our communities,” Newsom said. “California is cracking down – increasing seizures, expanding access to substance abuse treatment, and holding drug traffickers accountable to combat the immeasurable harm opioids have caused our communities.”
In 2022, 28,765 pounds of fentanyl was seized, which as a street value of $230 million, according to the release.
Last September, Newsom announced that he would be increasing the state’s National Guard presence at the border to “crack down on fentanyl smugglers” who try to bring fentanyl across the border.
The amount seized in 2023 is enough to “potentially kill the global population nearly twice over.” According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, a lethal dose of fentanyl is 2 milligrams.
The governor’s release emphasized his efforts since taking office to address the state’s opioid trafficking and support those affected. Since 2019, he has invested more than $1 billion in the efforts, according to the release.
Nearly a year ago, Newsom sent the state’s National Guard and its Highway Patrol to San Francisco to fight the trafficking of fentanyl in the city.
According to a recent report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), overdose deaths for smoking illegally manufactured fentanyl were up, more than injecting drugs like heroin.
Overdoses in Western states show the popularity of fentanyl, since more deaths were recorded than any other drug.
Since 2011, the number of adults who inject drugs increased from 774,000 to nearly 3.7 million in 2018, the CDC reported.